State of the Union

Fired up, ready to go. That was Barack Obama's home-stretch campaign chant back in 2008. Reality took the fizzle out of that mantra after he took office. The economy, Republicans, and the President's apparently deep-seeded penchant for avoiding conflict and confrontation - all conspired to take some of the hope out of Mr. Obama's quest for change.

If you believe the early buzz, the President isn't going to Capitol Hill tonight looking for any hand-holding, ring-around-the-campfire session. Will this State of the Union speech - his fourth as President, not fifth, because his first month in office he gave what's called an "address" to Congress - fear a fired-up, ready-to-go Barack Obama? There are many who predict it will, and that we'll see a more assertive President tonight.

He will push jobs, gun control, withdrawal from Afghanistan, and jobs. Did I mention jobs twice? For good reason, right?